Are you confused about when to use anymore vs any more? Some people seem to use these words interchangeably, but there are important differences between anymore and any more that you should know about.
‘Anymore’ and ‘any more’ sound the same when spoken and mean similar things, so it’s only when writing that you need to choose between these commonly confused words.
What’s the difference between anymore vs any more?
There are two main considerations when deciding whether to use any more or anymore.
1. In British English, ‘any more’ is usually preferred
If you’re using British English, it’s safe to always use ‘any more’ (two words) rather than ‘anymore’ (one word).
Although the usage of ‘anymore’ is starting to become more accepted, many people would still consider it incorrect, especially in formal contexts.
Therefore, unless you are following a style guide that has different advice on the use of ‘anymore’ and ‘any more’, just use ‘any more’ in British English.
You can read more about American and British vocabulary differences here.
2. In American English, distinguish between quantity and time
In American English, the difference between anymore and any more is to do with how you are using the word.
Any more refers to a quantity
If you are talking about an additional quantity or an extra amount of something, use ‘any more‘ (two words). For example:
- Is there any more cake?
- Did you order any more ink cartridges?
- Do you need to pack any more clothes?
- Did he give you any more information about the trip?
- Let me know if you have any more questions.
- I couldn’t love you any more than this.
- We don’t want to have any more children. Three is enough!
Anymore refers to time
In American English, ‘anymore‘ (one word) is an adverb that indicates time. It can mean ‘any longer‘, ‘presently‘, or ‘from now on‘. These are all examples of time transition words.
‘Anymore’ is usually placed at the end of a sentence or clause and used in negative constructions, including questions and ‘if’ statements. For example:
- They don’t live here anymore.
- We don’t speak of it anymore.
- I don’t want to go back there anymore.
- We won’t live in fear anymore.
- Why don’t you wear makeup anymore?
- Sorry, I can’t attend art club anymore.
- She used to be afraid of spiders but she isn’t anymore.
- If you aren’t coming to dinner anymore, please let me know so I can amend the reservation.
- I used to play badminton regularly, but I don’t anymore.
You’ll see that a couple of these examples use ‘used to’ to talk about something that happened in the past but not anymore. You can read more about how to use ‘used to’ here.
In some regional US dialects, ‘anymore’ may be used in an affirmative sentence such as “I work at a library anymore.” In this case, it has the meaning ‘nowadays’. However, this usage is mainly restricted to spoken English and is considered non-standard. This structure is not used at all in British English.
Any more or anymore time?
One point that may cause additional confusion is when referring to an extra amount of time. In this case, the ‘quantity’ rule applies, so you would say:
- Could you spare any more time to help today?
- I don’t have any more time to work on this.
Anymore or any more than?
The construction ‘any more than’ is correct because you are making a comparison between a larger and smaller amount. For example:
- I don’t want to work any more than I have to.
- The boss said we can’t increase your salary any more than this.
- Make sure you don’t give him any more pizza than me!
Anymore vs any more: Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand when to use anymore and any more correctly.
Remember, in British English you should always use ‘any more’ since ‘anymore’ could be considered incorrect.
In American English, use ‘any more’ to refer to an extra quantity or amount, and ‘anymore’ as an adverb to mean ‘any longer’ or ‘at present’.
Other word pairs that are often confused in the same way – because they can be written as one or two words – include a while vs awhile, a part vs apart, and some time vs sometime.
